[truebluefan]

‘Shoot to Win' with Queenston Chevrolet

The Hamilton Bulldogs have some exciting community initiatives planned in the coming weeks and are also running a number of ongoing and upcoming promotions.

'SHOOT TO WIN' WITH QUEENSTON CHEVROLET

The Bulldogs will host Queenston Chevrolet Night this Friday, December 22nd at Copps Coliseum when they take to the ice against the Albany River Rats. There will be a 'Shoot to Win' contest during the second intermission where a lucky fan will have a chance to win a three-year lease on a vehicle courtesy of Queenston Chevrolet.

HOLIDAY FAMILY PACK FUN

On Friday, December 22nd the Hamilton Bulldogs are offering a special holiday-themed family pack when the 'Dogs tangle with the Albany River Rats. The family pack consists of:

- 4 Game Tickets

- 4 Santa Hats

- 1 Framed Family Photo with Santa and Bruiser

There are only 50 packages available and photos will be taken during the first intermission in the Beer Gardens on the concourse level. Individual pictures with Santa will be available for a cost of $8.00. To order your family pack, please call (905) 546-8170 or email [email protected].

HAMILTON BULLDOGS SALVATION ARMY FOOD DRIVE

Fans who bring a non-perishable food item to home games will receive a voucher valid for $5.00 off Adult Tickets and $3.00 off Child Tickets purchased for the holiday games*. The Food Drive started on Tuesday, November 21st, and will run until Friday, December 22nd.

Volunteers of the Salvation Army will have collection boxes in the main entrance of Copps Coliseum. The Hamilton Bulldogs Organization has been involved in community food drives for a number of years and are excited about the prospect of lending a hand to the community once again. Please help stock food bank shelves in time for the holiday season.

*Holiday Games

- December 22nd vs. Albany

- December 27th vs. Manitoba

- December 29th vs. Toronto

- January 3rd & 5th vs. Iowa

- January 6th vs. Rochester

BRUISER IN THE COMMUNITY

The Hamilton Bulldogs Hockey Club attended over 600 events last year lending support and adding excitement to a variety of fundraisers, grand openings, fairs and schools and we want to top that during our 11th season! To book Bruiser for your next community event or charity fundraiser, please contact Wes Gordon, Community Appearance Coordinator, at 905-546-8175 or via email to [email protected].

BULLDOGS ON THE RADIO

Derek Wills joins Jason Farr on 820 CHAM 'The Legend' at 7:55 a.m. on Thursday, December 21st and Friday, December 22nd. Derek will review the past week, which saw the Bulldogs play back-to-back weekend games against North Division rivals, the Rochester Americans and the Syracuse Crunch, as well as the 'Dogs current road trip against the Manitoba Moose.

BRUISER PLUSH DOLLS

They're in! New Bruiser dolls are available at all Bulldogs Home games at the Youth Fund tent located behind section 115. Dolls are $12.00, with net proceeds in support of the Hamilton Bulldogs Youth Fund.

BULLDOGS FAMILY PACKS

The Hamilton Bulldogs Hockey Club would love to have you and your friends and family attend one of our games. Check out our monthly offers for one of the best deals going!

December Games:

- 4 Tickets

- 2 Bulldogs Cheer Stix

- 2 Autographed Corey Locke Pictures

January Games:

- 4 Tickets

- 2 Bulldogs Water Bottles

- 2 Autographed Eric Manlow Pictures

February Games:

- 4 Tickets

- 2 Bulldogs Megaphones

- 2 Autographed Yann Danis Pictures

 

[truebluefan]

Hartford loses one, gains two

New York, December 20, 2006 -- New York Rangers President and General Manager Glen Sather announced today that forward Brad Isbister has been recalled from the Hartford Wolf Pack of the American Hockey League (AHL), while forward Ryan Callahan and goaltender Al Montoya have been reassigned to Hartford.

Isbister, 29, has appeared in 17 games with the Hartford Wolf Pack and Albany River Rats (AHL) this season, registering four goals and five assists, along with 56 penalty minutes. The 6-4, 231-pound forward has collected one goal in eight games with Hartford, after being acquired by the Rangers from Carolina on November 21, in exchange for the rights to Jakub Petruzalek and a conditional fifth round pick in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft.

Callahan, 21, has skated in two games with the Rangers and 25 games with Hartford (AHL) this season. In 25 games with the Wolf Pack, he has registered 19 goals and eight assists for 27 points, along with a plus-six rating and 32 penalty minutes. In his first professional season, the 5-11, 185-pound forward leads the Wolf Pack in goals (19), power play goals (nine), points (27), and plus/minus (plus-six). His nine power play goals is currently tied for third in the league, while his 19 goals is tied for fourth among all AHL players.

Montoya, 21, has posted a 2-9-0 record, along with a 3.07 goals against average and an .892 save percentage in 14 games with Hartford (AHL) this season. The 2006 AHL All-Star served as a back up to Rangers' goaltender Kevin Weekes last night vs. the Islanders after he was recalled earlier in the day from Hartford on an emergency basis.

From today's practice, Michael Nylander (flu) did not participate and will not travel with the team to Florida. Marek Malik (groin strain) skated briefly before practice and remains out day-to-day. Matt Cullen and Henrik Lundqvist both skated the full practice and are expected to play in tomorrow's game against the Florida Panthers at the BankAtlantic Center (7:30 PM). Prior to the game tomorrow, the team's morning skate is scheduled for 11:30 AM at the BankAtlantic Center.

The NHL's New York Rangers hockey club, currently in its 81st year of operation, is part of Madison Square Garden, L.P. Madison Square Garden, L.P. is owned by Cablevision Systems Corporation, and includes the New York Knicks (NBA); the New York Rangers (NHL); the New York Liberty (WNBA); the Hartford Wolf Pack (American Hockey League); MSG Entertainment; MSG Media, which is comprised of MSG and FSN New York; and the Madison Square Garden arena complex, located in the heart of the New York metropolitan area.

 

[truebluefan]

Pirates Present "Goals for Success" Program

PORTLAND, ME - On Wednesday, December 20th, from 1:00-2:00 p.m., Portland Pirates players Geoff Peters and Garett Bembridge visited the Wentworth Intermediate School in Scarborough to present the Pirates "Goals for Success" program sponsored by Healthy Maine Partnership and Pepsi. The players interacted with the kids on subjects such as making smart decisions, the importance of setting goals and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. After interacting with the students on the topics the children had the opportunity to meet the players, get autographs and every kid received a free kid's ticket to an upcoming Pirates regular season home game.

The "Goals for Success" program was created to help educate kids about the importance of leading healthy lifestyles and to influence them to set goals and to make correct choices in their lives. The Pirates speak to the group about their own experiences as professional athletes, their goals, and what healthy choices they have made to achieve success in their careers. Over the five years of the program, the Pirates have reached over 7,000 Maine students.

 

[truebluefan]

Laing scores three as Bears win at Albany

The HERSHEY BEARS Hockey Club played the club's 5000th regular season game in club history Wednesday night, and Quintin Laing turned the contest into his personal highlight reel. The BEARS tied a season high by scoring seven times en route to a 7-4 win at Pepsi Arena.

The BEARS took a 1-0 lead early in the first period when Tomas Fleischmann ping-ponged a shot in front of the Albany goal. The puck deflected off the skate of Albany's Dave Gove and into the back of the net as HERSHEY scored on the power play. Jonas Johansson and Matt Hendricks each recorded assists on the goal. The River Rats recorded 11 first period shots to HERSHEY'S eight, and the BEARS took a 1-0 lead to the dressing room. The first 20 minutes also featured four separate fights, including two that Pete Vandermeer participated in. Trevor Byrne fought Tim Conboy at the 20:00 mark after Conboy ran Tomas Fleischmann into the boards. Tyler Sloan also fought Cody McCormick.

Albany would come out in the second period and score twice to even the score. Defenseman Johnny Boychuk scored on a slap shot from the left point at 5:35 to get the Rats on the board before Matt Murley tied the game at the 9:03 mark. HERSHEY would regain the lead just 47 seconds later at 9:50 from Johansson and Lawrence Nycholat. With a 3-2 lead late in the second, Albany took advantage of a power play and scored to tie it up before intermission. Kyle Cumiskey scored on the back door after a pass from Ben Guite at 18:54. The Rats outshot the BEARS 21-10 in the second period and scored three times to send the game to the third period all tied at 3-3.

HERSHEY would take an early third period lead when Dave Steckel scored his ninth goal of the season. The goal at 2:05 gave the BEARS a 4-3 lead. Laing then scored his second goal of the game and fifth of the year at 9:55 to vault the BEARS to a 5-3 advantage. Trevor Byrne would score his first of the year at 10:26 before Laing finished off his hat trick at 19:20 The three goal effort was Laing's first in a BEARS uniform, and it put the game on ice.

Notes: HERSHEY'S first-ever game was played November 5, 1938 at HERSHEY Sports Arena against the Providence Reds. The BEARS won the game 2-1. Louis Robitaille missed the game after an injury that occurred in practice Tuesday. Alexandre Giroux arrived in time for the game Wednesday after skating in Washington Tuesday. Giroux played nearly seven minutes in Washington's 5-4 loss against Tampa Bay. Former HERSHEY players Jeff Finger, Johnny Boychuk, Scott Kelman, Shane Willis and Cody McCormick played against the BEARS Wednesday. The Colorado Avalanche announced this week that the club is pulling its secondary affiliation from Albany after the current season. The Avalanche will place their primary AHL affiliate in Cleveland in 2007-08; the first full affiliation Colorado has had since departing HERSHEY after the 2004-05 campaign. The 21 shots HERSHEY allowed in the second period was a season high. The win was the 16th in a row for the BEARS against Albany. Laing's hat trick was the second by a HERSHEY skater this season. Alexandre Giroux scored three times against Wilkes-Barre/Scranton November 26.

 

[truebluefan]

Admirals Get By Depleted Knights, 3-2

The Milwaukee Admirals scored three goals in the first period and held on for a 3-2 win over the Omaha Ak-Sar-Ben Knights on Wednesday night at the Civic Auditorium. The Knights were playing without four regulars who were all on recall to Calgary.

Milwaukee wasted no time getting on the board. The Admirals opened scoring at 7:28 with a wraparound goal by Brandon Segal that beat Knights' goalie Curtis McElhinney. Kelsey Wilson and Nolan Yonkman earned assists.

Seven minutes later, Milwaukee tacked on another goal. Ramzi Abid tipped in a feed from John Vigilante to put the Admirals up 2-0. McElhinney was then pulled in favor of Brent Krahn following that goal. McElhinney allowed two goals on three shots.

Omaha finally managed some offense at 15:28 as Tomi Maki scored from a sharp angle to make it 2-1. Andrei Taratukhin and Adam Pardy picked up the assists.

However, the Admirals answered back less than two minutes later when Vigilante scored to make it 3-1 after one.

The second period was scoreless even though the Knights outshot the Admirals 14-2. The two shots allowed was a new season low.

Omaha pulled to within one early in the third period when Carsen Germyn scored his eighth goal of the season with a hard wrist shot over the glove hand of goalie Karl Goehring. The Knights could get no closer. The 3-2 loss was their first in four games against the Admirals this season.

Three Stars: 1. Kelsey Wilson (MIL) - 1 Assist; 2. David Van der Gulik (OMA) - 1 Assist; 3. John Vigilante (MIL) - 1 Goal, 1 Assist

Click here for game sheet.

The Ak-Sar-Ben Knights return to action on Friday when they host the San Antonio Rampage at 7:00 p.m. On Saturday, the Admirals are back for another 7:00 p.m. face off.

Tickets for all Ak-Sar-Ben Knights' games are on sale at the Omaha Civic Auditorium box office Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Tickets also are available through all Ticketmaster outlets and by phone at (402) 422-1212. Kids 12 and under get in free with a paid adult on tickets purchased after 5:00 p.m. Other restrictions apply.

 

[truebluefan]

Monarchs Squeeze By Devils, 3-2

Lowell, MA - A pair of goals from Justin Papineau was not enough for the Lowell Devils, as Eric Werner's first goal of the season during a 4-on-3 at 11:26 of the third period gave the Manchester Monarchs (15-9-5-1) a 3-2 victory over the the Devils on Wednesday night at the Tsongas Arena..

The Devils continued their trend of starting fast, as they put five shots on Manchester goalie Jason LaBarbera in the first two minutes of the game, including a power play goal by Justin Papineau. The tally was Papineau's 11th of the season. Manchester would even the score later in the period with a power play goal of their own. With Stephen Gionta in the box for Lowell for hooking, Matt Moulson banged home a rebound past Devils goalie Frank Doyle to tie the game.

Manchester took the lead in the second period on Brendan Buckley's first goal of the season. The Monarchs captain wristed a shot from the point that bounced off the pads of a partially screened Doyle and into the net. Both teams had two power play chances each, with neither team able to cash in on the man advantage. Manchester outshot the Devils 11-8 in the second frame.

Justin Papineau tied the score with his second tally of the night, an unassisted effort, at 9:02 of the third period. His 12th goal of the season, a wraparound wrister, tied him for the team lead in goals on the season with Chris Minard. Penalties proved to be the difference, however, as Manchester was able to put home their second power play goal of the night during a 4-on-3 advantage. Werner took a feed from Peter Harrold and blasted a one-timer from the slot that beat Frank Doyle for the game winner. Though Lowell outshot the Monarchs 27-25 in the game, the visitors garnerd eight power play opportunities to the Devils' four.

The Devils are on the road against the Worcester Sharks on Saturday night at 7:00pm. Lowell returns home next Wednesday, December 27 to play host to the Monarchs at 7:05pm. The first 2,500 fans will receive a team action poster, courtesy of Trinity Emergency Medical Services.

All Devils games, home and away, can be heard on WCAP 980AM with the Voice of the Devils, Ryan Johnston, or online through B2 Networks on The Official Website of the Lowell Devils. For more information or to reserve your seats for this game, call the Devils office at (978) 458-PUCK.

 

[truebluefan]

Brouwer, Admirals Defeat Sound Tigers

Troy Brouwer scored a hat-trick to lift the host Norfolk Admirals to a 6-2 win over the Bridgeport Sound Tigers before 3,475 fans at Norfolk Scope on Wednesday night. The Sound Tigers lost to the Admirals for the second time in as many games this week and fell to 12-11-1-3. Norfolk, meanwhile, improved to 20-6-4-1.

Bridgeport's league-leading penalty kill held the Admirals scoreless on eight power play chances but was overshadowed by Norfolk's shorthanded offensive attack. Craig MacDonald and Adam Burish both had shorthanded goals for the Admirals. Dustin Byfuglien added a goal for the Admirals who have just one regulation loss on home ice this season. The Sound Tigers had held Norfolk, the AHL's second-highest scoring team, to three goals in each of the first three meetings. Norfolk now leads 3-1 in the season series between the East Division foes.

Frans Nielsen scored his seventh goal of the year and Allan Rourke netted his third for the Sound Tigers who trailed 3-0 and 5-1 before each of their tallies. Rourke, a defenseman, has two goals in his last two games, both against the Admirals.

The Sound Tigers travel to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on Friday and return to the Arena at Harbor Yard to take on the Manchester Monarchs Saturday, Dec. 23, at 7 p.m. For schedule and ticket information, including group discount opportunities, visit soundtigers.com or call 334-4625.

 

[truebluefan]

Brouwer's Hat Trick Leads Admirals Past Sound Tigers

NORFOLK, VA - Troy Brouwer scored three goals to lead the Norfolk Admirals (20-6-4-1) past the Bridgeport Sound Tigers (12-11-1-3) on Wednesday night at Scope.

The Admirals got on board first while shorthanded early in the opening frame. Carl Corazzini sped past a Bridgeport player and collected a clearing attempt at the red line before breaking in two-on-one on Sound Tigers netminder Michael Mole two-on-one with Craig MacDonald. Corazzini sent a cross-ice pass from the right wall to MacDonald at the top of the crease, and MacDonald redirected the puck over Mole's right leg at 4:46.

The Norfolk lead doubled nearly ten minutes later. David Bolland skated from the left corner to behind the net with a defender closely guarding him. Bolland chipped a pass to an open Brouwer at the top of the crease. Brouwer made quick work of the pass by one-timing it past Mole at 14:28.

Brouwer scored his second goal of the night early in the second stanza. Dustin Byfuglien deked past a defender at center ice and then sent Brouwer in on a breakaway. Brouwer sent a shot past Mole blocker side at 1:55.

The Sound Tigers closed their gap to two goals under three minutes later. Allan Rourke sent a cross-ice pass from the left half-wall to an open Frans Nielsen at the bottom of the slot. Nielsen settled the puck down and sent a shot past Admirals goaltender Corey Crawford at 4:21.

Adam Burish netted Norfolk's second shorthanded goal of the night 1:17 into the final frame. He sent a shot from the slot that Mole stopped initially. But Burish corralled the rebound at the goal line and banked a shot off a Bridgeport defender and into the net.

Thirty-nine seconds later, Brandon Bochenski staved off a defender at the bottom of the right faceoff circle and fed Brouwer at the edge of the left circle. Brouwer sent a backhander into the back of the net to complete the hat trick at 1:56.

Allan Rourke deflected a Mark Wotton shot through traffic and past Crawford at 2:16. But Byfuglien put a cap on scoring with a strong individual effort ten minutes later. He got past a defender along the left half wall with a toe drag and then got past a second Sound Tiger at the top of the crease with a similar deke before beating Mole at 12:43.

Crawford stopped 25 of 27 shots and picked up the victory. Mole got the loss and stopped 26 of 32 shots.

Norfolk was 0-8 on the power play. Bridgeport was 0-4.

With two assists on the evening, Bochenski now has points in a franchise record-tying eleven straight games dating back to November 12 versus Manchester. In that stretch, he has 11 goals and 15 assists. He will attempt to break the record set earlier this year by Martin St. Pierre on Friday when the Admirals face off with their East Division Rivals the Hershey Bears at 7:15 p.m. at Scope.

Three Stars:

1. Troy Brouwer - NOR

2. Dustin Byfuglien - NOR

3. Brandon Bochenski - NOR

 

[truebluefan]

Bulldogs defeated by Moose in Overtime

WINNIPEG, MB - Jaroslav Halak turned aside 27 of the 29 shots he faced in a losing effort, as the Hamilton Bulldogs dropped a 2-1 decision in overtime to the Manitoba Moose on Wednesday night at MTS Centre. With the overtime loss, Hamilton's record drops to 17-10-1-1, but improved its point total to 36 on the season.

After a scoreless first period, Prestin Ryan opened the scoring for the Moose at 8:13 of the middle stanza. Ryan took a shot from the point that took a strange bounce off of defenceman Dan Jancevski in front of the net and found it's way past Halak.

Kyle Chipchura answered for the Bulldogs at 8:56 of the third frame with his sixth goal of the season to even the score 1-1 and force the game to extra-time. Matt D'Agostini's initial shot was stopped by Moose netminder Wade Flaherty and Chipchura picked up the rebound and buried a shot into the back of the net.

With 14 seconds left in overtime, Brandon Reid notched the game-winning goal for Manitoba on the power play. Maxime Fortunus and Jason Jaffrey drew assists on the 2-1 goal.

The Bulldogs went 0-for-3 on the power play while the Moose were 1-for-7 with the man-advantage, capitalizing in overtime after going 0-for-6 in regulation time.

The Bulldogs return to action at 8:30 p.m. tomorrow night (Thursday, December 21st) when they battle the Manitoba Moose for the second time in as many nights at the MTS Centre. Fans can listen to every 'Dogs game this season on the flagship station of the Hamilton Bulldogs Hockey Network, 820 CHAM "The Legend," beginning with the Park's Furniture Pre-Game Show 20 minutes prior to each scheduled game time. Fans can also listen or watch at Hamilton Bulldogs :: Bulldogs by clicking on the 'B2 Networks' or '820 CHAM' icon on the 'Dogs website.

The 'Dogs next home game is on Friday, December 22nd at Copps Coliseum against the Albany River Rats at 7:30 p.m. Tickets for all 'Dogs home games (except home game #32) are available at the Copps Coliseum Box Office, any Ticketmaster outlet, online at Official Ticketmaster site. Tickets for Concerts, Sports, Arts, Theater, Family, Events, more, or through charge-by-phone at 905-527-7666.

 

[truebluefan]

Griffins Fall 4-3 to Iowa in OT

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - Joel Lundqvist's second goal of the game at 2:42 of overtime gave the Iowa Stars a 4-3 victory over the Grand Rapids Griffins on Wednesday at Van Andel Arena.

The Griffins (12-14-3-2) held a 2-0 lead early in the third period before a bevy of scoring, including Lundqvist's game-tying goal with 9:25 left, enabled the Stars (15-15-0-0) to rally for just the second win in their last nine outings. Grand Rapids, winless in its last four, will visit Peoria on Friday for an 8:30 p.m. EST start against the Rivermen.

Following a scoreless first period, the Griffins struck at 8:29 of the second frame, with Ryan Oulahen converting a rebound from the left side for a 1-0 lead. A tremendous individual effort by Eric Himelfarb then increased the advantage to two just 1:35 into the third. Carrying the puck out of his own zone, he weaved up ice, deftly moved around a defender and crashed into the right post as his shot slid past Dan Ellis.

However, Iowa answered with a pair of goals 2:44 apart to ruin Jimmy Howard's shutout bid and knot the score. John Lammers threw a shot at the net from the right corner and watched the puck slip between Howard and the post at 4:01, and Mario Scalzo found a loose puck in the slot and sent a wrister blocker-side at 6:45.

Presented with a 5-on-3 power play with 12 minutes remaining, the Griffins did not squander their chance. From the left corner, Josh Langfeld lasered a pass through the slot to Kip Miller, who earlier today was named captain of the PlanetUSA AHL All-Star Team. Miller beat Ellis top shelf from below the circle at the 8:33 mark for his team-leading 11th goal of the season.

The Stars again responded at 10:35, as Lundqvist was given credit for jamming home a puck that Howard appeared to have covered. After combining for five goals in just nine minutes, the teams were blanked for the remainder of regulation, despite Iowa receiving a power play with 2:05 left.

Matt Hussey had a chance to end it on a breakaway early in overtime after stealing the puck at the Griffins' blue line, but the puck rolled away from him before he could get a shot off. Shortly after, Iowa went back on the power play, and Lundqvist scored from the slot to drop the Griffins' overtime record this season to 0-3.

Howard lost despite 35 saves, while Ellis earned the victory with 28 stops.

 

[truebluefan]

Monarchs Torch Devils For First Place Tie

LOWELL, MA - Defensemen Brendan Buckley and Eric Werner scored their first goals of the season in the Manchester Monarchs 3-2 victory over the Lowell Devils in front of 1,554 fans at the Tsongas Arena on Wednesday night.

Manchester (15-9-5-1) moves into a tie for first place in the Atlantic Division with 36 points. Lowell (15-13-2-1) is in third place in the Atlantic Division with 33 points.

The Devils hopped on the scoreboard first with a power play goal at 1:54 of the opening period. Center Chris Minard fed the puck to defenseman Jim Fahey at the point. Fahey rifled a shot through traffic that Monarchs goaltender Jason LaBarbera was able to save but center Justin Papineau pounced on the rebound and sent a backhander into the back of net for his 11th goal of the season.

The Monarchs answered back at 14:15 of the first frame with left wing Matt Moulson's eighth tally of the season. Seeking revenge with a power play goal of their own, the Monarchs set up in the Devils' zone. Left wing Noah Clarke sent the puck to the point and onto the stick of Werner who fired a shot on Lowell's netminder Frank Doyle. The rebound popped free and Moulson scored a top shelf goal to tie the game at 1-1.

Buckley tickled the twine for the first time this season at 12:30 of the middle period. Less than a minute after Manchester's defenseman Joey Mormina hit the post, Buckley blasted a knuckler from the point that caught Doyle off guard and gave the Monarchs a 2-1 lead. Left wing Lauri Tukonen and center Matt Ryan assisted on Buckley's first goal of the season.

Papineau collected his second mark of the night, 12th of the season at 9:02 of the third period. Unassisted, Papineau carried the puck to the hash marks and ripped a shot past LaBarbera to even the game at 2-2.

At 11:26 of the final stanza, Werner scored on the power play to give the Monarchs the 3-2 lead and eventual win. On the power play, defenseman Peter Harrold shuffled the puck to Clarke who forwarded it on to Werner in the high slot. Werner's one-timer went soaring past Doyle for his first of the season.

LaBarbera earned his 14th victory of the season with 25 saves. Doyle took the loss stopping 22 shots.

Manchester went 2-for-7 on the power play. Lowell was 1-for-4 with the man advantage.

The Monarchs will face the Worcester Sharks at the DCU Center at 7:00 p.m. on Friday, December 22. Catch all of the play-by-play action of Monarchs hockey with Ken Cail on the Monarchs Radio Network WGIR-AM 610 and at -= Manchester Monarchs Hockey =- Home Page. Watch the game live on B2 Networks for just $6 per game. Log onto -= Manchester Monarchs Hockey =- Home Page and click on the link to B2 Networks ten minutes prior to each Monarchs game to watch the game live!

 

[truebluefan]

Stars win in overtime

GRAND RAPIDS, MI - The Iowa Stars and the Grand Rapids Griffins faced-off for the first time this season on Wednesday night in Michigan. The Stars ended their four-game, seven-day road trip with a 4-3 overtime victory and registered a 2-2-0-0 record on the road trip.

Despite out-shooting the Griffins, 10 to four in the first period, the two teams held each other off the scoresheet.

The Griffins cracked the scoresheet first when Ryan Oulahen notched his fourth goal of the season. Oulahen's goal at 8:29 was the only goal that period despite a combined shot total of 22: Iowa 10, Grand Rapids 12.

The third period featured a barrage of shots for both teams and subsequent scoring. Eric Himelfarb gave the Griffins a 2-0 lead just 1:35 into the third period. Less than three minutes later, rookie forward John Lammers pulled the Stars to within one. His third goal of the season was assisted by Yared Hagos and Marius Holtet. The Stars evened the score at two goals apiece when Defenseman Mario Scalzo scored his second goal of the season. The unassisted goal came at 6:45. Less than two minutes later, Grand Rapids' Center Kip Miller gave his team a 3-2 lead. The power-play tally came at 8:33. Two minutes and two seconds after the Miller goal, Iowa's Joel Lundqvist knotted the score at three. Chris Conner and Vojtech Polak grabbed the assists. The two teams remained deadlocked at three for the remaining 9:25 of regulation.

Awarded a power-play just 1:33 into the overtime period, Iowa's Joel Lundqvist sent the Griffins faithful for the doors. Lundqvist's game-winning goal, a power-play tally, came at 2:42 and was assisted by Polak and Marty Wilford. For Polak, it was his second assist of the game, and was his third point (1/2/3) in his last two games.

Iowa Goaltender Dan Ellis evened his record to 8-8 with a 28-save performance.

Shots: IOWA: 39; GRAND RAPIDS: 31; Attendance: 4,521

Game Sheet - theahl.com: Home

IOWA STARS INFO: The Stars return to Wells Fargo Arena on Friday, December 22nd. The Dec. 22nd game is a 4 for $40 night. Get four $21 tickets for only $40! In addition, the first 1,500 fans will receive a FREE Iowa Stars Santa hat. Doors open for all home games one hour before face-off. Bring a group or hold your child's birthday at a Stars game! All ticketing information can be obtained by calling 515-23-STARS or by visiting IowaStarsHockey.com.

 

[truebluefan]

Whitfield Recalled to the Blues Under Emergency Conditions

Peoria, Ill. (December 20, 2006) - St. Louis Blues President John Davidson announced today that center Trent Whitfield has been recalled under emergency conditions from the Peoria Rivermen, the Blues' American Hockey League affiliate. The Blues have also placed forward Dallas Drake on injured reserve due to an upper body injury retroactive to December 17.

Whitfield, 29, leads the Rivermen with 23 points (13 goals, 10 assists) in 27 games played this season. The 5-11, 204-pound pivot skated in 30 games for the Blues last season, recording seven points (two goals, five assists) along with 14 penalty minutes. Whitfield also played in 41 games for Peoria last season, finishing fourth on the team in points (53), tied for third in goals (19) and ranked fourth in assists (34).

Whitfield, a native of Alameda, Saskatchewan, was originally Boston's fourth round selection, 100th overall in the 1996 NHL Entry Draft.

On Friday, December 22, the Rivermen host the Grand Rapids Griffins at 7:30 p.m. It is a Coca-Cola/Insight Date Night. Fans may receive two (2) Upper Bowl tickets, two (2) Cokes and a tub of popcorn for just $25. The team will also commemorate the 1990-91 Rivermen International Hockey League (IHL) Turner Cup Championship and the still-world-record, 18-game professional winning streak by wearing replica 1990-91 replica jerseys, which will be auctioned off after the game to benefit the Children's Hospital of Illinois. U.S. Cellular's 25 Greatest Rivermen of All-Time continues with Steve Tuttle cards to the first 2,500 fans.

• Discuss this story on the American Hockey League message

 

[truebluefan]

Crunch Announce Details of Coleman's 'Dinner and a Game' Program

Syracuse, NY (December 21, 2006) - The Syracuse Crunch announced today the details of the Coleman's 'Dinner and a Game' program.

During the month of January any party that orders two (2) dinner entrees will receive a Crunch ticket voucher valid for two (2) tickets to a future Crunch home game of the customer's choice.

Coleman's Authentic Irish Pub and Restaurant is located on the corner of Tompkins Street and Lowell Avenue on Syracuse's Tipperary Hill. For directions call 476- 1933. At this Irish Pub, atmosphere is just as important as flavor. There you'll find custom crafted stained glass windows with intricate designs from the Book of Kells, paintings from the Irish National Gallery, and a dark oak bar patterned after the original Jury's in Dublin.

The Crunch host Albany on Saturday, December 23 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are available by calling the Crunch office at (315) 473-4444, stopping by the Oncenter box office located on the State Street side of the War Memorial or by calling TicketMaster at (315) 472-0700.

 

[truebluefan]

Bathgate, Thomas, Oates named honorees for 2007 Rbk Hockey AHL All-Star Classic

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. ... The American Hockey League announced today that AHL alumni Andy Bathgate, Steve Thomas and Adam Oates will be honored at the 2007 Rbk Hockey AHL All-Star Classic, to be held January 28-29 at Ricoh Coliseum in Toronto.

A 1978 inductee into the Hockey Hall of Fame, Andy Bathgate won a Calder Cup championship with the AHL's Cleveland Barons in 1953-54, a year before gaining a regular roster spot in the National Hockey League with the New York Rangers.

He became one of the most gifted offensive players in the NHL, earning league MVP honors in 1959 and helping the Toronto Maple Leafs capture the Stanley Cup in 1964.

Bathgate had one more stint in the AHL with the Pittsburgh Hornets in 1966-67, and retired with 349 goals and 973 points in 1,069 career NHL games.

Bathgate will be the honored guest at the annual Hockey Hall of Fame/AHL All-Star Luncheon, which each year honors a Hockey Hall of Famer with ties to the AHL. Past honorees include Serge Savard, Larry Robinson, Billy Smith, Grant Fuhr, Rod Langway, Brad Park, George Armstrong, Glen Sather, Bill Torrey, Al Arbour, Bill Barber, Ken Dryden, Lorne "Gump" Worsley, Johnny Bower, Glenn Hall and Emile Francis. All told, more than 100 of the Hall's honored members are AHL alumni.

Steve Thomas captured the Dudley "Red" Garrett Memorial Award as the AHL's rookie of the year in 1984-85, when he recorded 42 goals and 90 points in 64 games for the Maple Leafs' top affiliate, the St. Catharines Saints.

Thomas, who played his junior hockey for the Toronto Marlboros, was a fan favorite during his six seasons with the Leafs, and finished his 20-year National Hockey League career with 421 goals - including nine 20-goal campaigns - in 1,235 NHL games.

Adam Oates is the National Hockey League's all-time leading scorer among American Hockey League graduates, registering 1,420 points over 19 seasons from 1985-2004. A native of Weston, Ont., Oates won a Calder Cup championship with the Adirondack Red Wings in 1986, finishing second on the team in playoff scoring with 21 points in 17 postseason games that spring.

He went on to play in five NHL All-Star Games and two Stanley Cup Finals, and ranks sixth on the NHL's all-time assists list with 1,079.

Thomas and Oates will serve as the honorary team captains for the 2007 Rbk Hockey AHL All-Star Classic. Previous honorary captains have included John Ferguson, Ab McDonald, Marcel Dionne, Dave Taylor, Adam Graves, Joe Kocur, Kevin Dineen, Gordie Clark, Lanny McDonald, Darryl Sittler, Don Cherry, Bill Dineen, Jim Craig and Al MacNeil.

The 2007 Rbk Hockey AHL All-Star Classic will take place at Ricoh Coliseum in Toronto, home of the AHL's Marlies. The event features the 2007 CCM AHL All-Star Skills Competition on Sunday, January 28 (7:00 ET) and the 2007 AHL All-Star Game on Monday, January 29 (7:00 ET), and will be televised live on Rogers Sportsnet in Canada and on a network of regional broadcast partners in the United States.

Of the 394 players to take part in the AHL All-Star Classic since 1995, more than 93 percent have competed in the National Hockey League, including Patrice Bergeron, Brad Boyes, Daniel Briere, Jonathan Cheechoo, Pavol Demitra, Rick DiPietro, Patrik Elias, Ray Emery, Miikka Kiprusoff, Kari Lehtonen, Ryan Miller, Dwayne Roloson, Marc Savard, Martin St. Louis, Jason Spezza, Eric Staal, Steve Sullivan and Kyle Wellwood.

 

[truebluefan]

Crunch Announce Details of Edy's ‘Crunch Ice Cream' Discount Ticket Program

Syracuse, NY (December 21, 2006) - The Syracuse Crunch announced today that they have teamed up with Edy's and Quickway to offer the Edy's 'Crunch Ice Cream' discount ticket program.

During the month of January, Edy's and Quickway will offer consumers a $6 discount off any regular $16 Crunch ticket to any Crunch Friday night home game with a purchase of a 56 oz. container of Edy's Slow Churned ice cream. To receive the discount fans must bring their Quickway register receipt to the Crunch box office.

The Crunch host Albany on Saturday, December 23 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are available by calling the Crunch office at (315) 473-4444, stopping by the Oncenter box office located on the State Street side of the War Memorial or by calling TicketMaster at (315) 472-0700.

 

[truebluefan]

Atlanta Thinks Mac's Got the Knack

The Atlanta Thrashers have recalled center DEREK MacKENZIE from the Chicago Wolves.

The 25-year-old forward ranks third on the Wolves with eight goals and sixth with 17 points in 28 games this season. He also leads the squad and ranks second in the American Hockey League with three shorthanded tallies, and shares fourth on the team with a +11 plus/minus rating.

MacKENZIE has not appeared in any contests with Atlanta this season. Overall, he has dished out two assists in 24 games with the Thrashers in three seasons of action (2001-04; 2005-06).

The Sudbury, Ontario, native was named the Wolves captain last season, becoming just the fourth player in franchise history to earn the honor. He is Chicago's active leader in games played (353), goals (77), assists (87), points (164) and penalty minutes (410) and was a member of the Wolves 2002 Calder Cup Championship team.

 

[truebluefan]

Ring in the New Year with the Griffins

Saturday, Dec. 30, 2006 vs. Hamilton Bulldogs

Time: 7 p.m. at Van Andel Arena (doors open at 6 p.m.).

Tickets: Available at The Zone and all Star Tickets Plus outlets, including West Michigan Meijer stores. Charge by phone at (616) 222-4000 / (800) 585-3737 or visit griffinshockey.com.

Prices: $5 (advance purchase only), $13, $15, $17, $20 and $25.

Web Coupon: Fans can visit griffinshockey.com to print a coupon redeemable for up to four lower bowl tickets for only $10 each (regularly $17).

Figure Skating: Two girls from the Greater Grand Rapids Figure Skating Club will display their skills during the second intermission. The girls will compete at Nationals in Spokane, Wash., in January.

Post-Game Autographs: Griffins players will sign autographs for 15 minutes after the game at the Griffins' bench.

Sunday, Dec. 31, 2006 vs. Rochester Americans

Time: 7 p.m. at Van Andel Arena (doors open at 6 p.m.).

Tickets: Available at The Zone and all Star Tickets Plus outlets, including West Michigan Meijer stores. Charge by phone at (616) 222-4000 / (800) 585-3737 or visit griffinshockey.com.

Prices: $5 (advance purchase only), $13, $15, $17, $20 and $25.

New Year's Extravaganza: Centennial Securities proudly presents the 10th annual Griffins New Year's Eve Extravaganza, featuring West Michigan's largest indoor fireworks show after the game.

Tuxedo Jerseys: Griffins players will be dressed for the occasion, wearing tuxedo-style jerseys that will be autographed and auctioned to fans after the game. Proceeds will benefit Bauer Elementary School.

Live Music: Local band Domestic Problems will perform during the first intermission.

Giveaways: Noisemakers will be handed out to the first 2,500 kids, and the first 1,500 fans will receive Centennial Securities mouse pads.

Student Discount: All college and high school students can purchase a lower bowl ticket for only $10 with a valid student ID.

Post-Game Skate: Once the fireworks show is complete, fans can skate around the Van Andel Arena ice for 45 minutes.

 

[truebluefan]

Clarke MacArthur returns to Rochester

(Rochester, NY)... Rochester Americans General Manager Jody Gage announced today that forward Clarke MacArthur has been reassigned to the Amerks by the Buffalo Sabres.

MacArthur returns after making his NHL debut Tuesday night against the Montreal Canadiens. He currently leads the Amerks with 34 points (12+22) in 26 games. The Lloydminster, Alberta, native has a five-game point streak (3+8) from December 5th to December 16th. Last Saturday, he notched five points (1+4) in a 10-4 win over Binghamton. The left wing was the Buffalo Sabres' third-round selection (74th overall) in the 2003 National Hockey League Entry Draft.

The Amerks complete their five-game homestand this Friday night, before hitting the road for one game before the Christmas holiday. Rochester (20-6-1-0, 41 points) is in first place in the North Division and second overall in the Western Conference.

The Amerks will take on the Toronto Mariles in a 7:35 p.m. contest on Friday, December 22nd at The Blue Cross Arena at the War Memorial. Santa Claus will be making a special appearance at the game. Wendy's - buy one, get one ticket free vouchers will be available for this contest. Fans can pick up their vouchers at any participating Wendy's. The game will be broadcast live on Hot Talk 1280-AM WHTK, whtk.com and B2 Networks. It will also be televised live on TWSN.

On Saturday, December 23rd, the Amerks will head to Binghamton to take on the Senators at Broome County Veterans Memorial Arena at 7:05 p.m. The game will be broadcast live on Hot Talk 1280-AM WHTK, whtk.com and B2 Networks.

 

[truebluefan]

$20 center ice, $15 corners Friday; Holiday Stuffers still available

The Aeros play host to first-place Chicago at Toyota Center on Friday at 7:35 p.m. In a special offer available only by calling 713.974.PUCK, get $20 center ice seats (normally $30) or $15 corner seats (normally $22). This Holiday Special is also good for the Aeros' games on December 26 and December 30. So call 713.974.PUCK today!

And it's not too late to get your favorite Aeros fan an Aeros Holiday Stuffer! Beginning at just $44, the Holiday Stuffer includes four open ended ticket vouchers to be redeemed how you wish in the remainder of the 2006-07 regular season, a free ticket to the January 6 Curtis Murphy Bobblehead Night, and a $10 gift certificate to Amazon Grill. Call 713.974.PUCK today to order!